KUAOTUNU MINING NEWS.

Auckland Star, Volume XXVII, Issue 158, 7 July 1896, Page 2

KUAOTUNU MINING NEWS.

A BRIGHT OUTLOOK.

(FROM OUR BPECIAL CORRESPONDENT.)

Kuaotcnc, this day.

Mining in Knaotnnu may ab tke present timo be said to be on the eva of a general revival. This, ac can bo understoood, is nob owing to any ■ new discovery having taken place, bub is undoubtedly the result attaching to the introduction of English capital, which has elowly perhaps bub surely been extending itself over the entire peninsula. We have ab last the _ satisfaction Of Beeing a practical beginning made here in regard to the flotation of the Try Fluke, KapaiVermonb, and Maori Dream mines, as chronicled in the paper*, and it is confidently felt that these are the forerunners only of many more good properties, which will bo eagerly taken up in the near future. Why Kuaotunu has boon bo long neglected by the mining representatives of English syndicates, it is hard to nay. For a long time past, several companies have been carryiag on successful operations, which, I indeed, might have resulted still more profitably had sufficient capital been available for carrying on the works on a larger scale, and while in the matter of large reefs of low er medium grade ore, they are oiie of the moat conspicuous features of the district from a mining point of view, and can, moreover, be worked aba low coßt, such is the configuration of the country, by one of the most desirable systems of mining, samely, by adit levels, thus dispensing with the serious expenses pertaining to pumping and winding. These points it would have been thought, should have amply fulfilled the requirements of tho most cautious of mining experts, but nevertheless, Kuaotunu up to the present, it woald appear, has not called for the the interesb to which ib is undoubtedly justly entitled. A commencement bus, however, been made, and ib is beydnd question that ia a short time many more properties will experience the benefit of English capital, and will, indeed, prove themselves to be sound and profitable investments. The English people are certainly to be congratulated on having secured the abovementiuned valuable mines, and their successful development under new ownership and on a more extensive scale.isa guarantee for the future prosperity of the entire district. In view of tho srreab change expected, T paid a visib bo this districb in order to ascertain more practically the nature of the prospoctß possessed by the various companies. From what I saw I must say that I was agreeably surprised, and an now convinced more than ever that the value of Kuaotunu as a field fer mining operations has hitherto never been realised. Before going further, 1 have to thank the various gentlemen who assisted meia many ways, and more especially Capb. Richards and Mr Hornibrook, who gava me all the information thab lay in tbair power, and contributed in no small 'degree to the suecossful examination of the different mines.

KAPAI-VERMONT,

No. 1 level: Wo commenced our inspection of the mine ab thia lord, which has been driven on the main Try Fluke or Kapai-Vermonb reaf, intersected by a crosscut 275 feet in length. Thia reef ie striking nearly due north and south, and dips to the east at an angle of between 65 and 70 degrees, averaging in thickness about fire teet righb through the mino. From it moat of the crushing; dirt for a considerable time past has been obtained, and it is satisfactory to know that it has maintained a fair average quality right along of medium grade ore with occasional runs of gold, which have sarved to compensate for the poorer porbians of the reef included in the whole of the crushing dirt acnb to the mill. From the point of intersection by the crosscut mentioned above, this main reef has been opened up in both directions. The drive going north is now up to the Try Fluke boundary, being in a distance of 200fb, while that going south has been driven up to date 335 ft). The country in the face of this south drive ia rather tighter ab present, but of a farourable description of brown Bftndstone, while the reef has been knocked oboub sornowhat by elidy country encountered a few feet back. Ife in, however, making again, being much better defined, and will doubtless, in a few feet, open out to its normal size again. Ab showing the possibilities which exist in connection with the exploitation of this lode in the present direction, I might nay thab 1,260f0 on its course are available before the Jupiter boundary in reached. 140 ft south of the croßscub a main rise has been put up on the reof 150 ft n order to effect connection with a shaft trlrich bad previously been sunk to a depth of 45fto from the floor of an old surface crosscut!. Tbia particular work was undertaken for *wo objects, viz., to secure ventilation for the sloping out of the reef, and also to obtain every facility for the carrying on of this work expeditiously and at a minimum cost. Ab the presonb time operations are centred chiefly in ("toping between Nob. 1 and 2 intermediate levels driven from the main rise and above No. 1 level. At thi3 point sboping is proceeding in two sections, asib were, of the reof, viz., the footwall and hangingwall portions, which are separated by about 12fb of country rock. Thia peculiarity in the lode can be noticed in the level belovr, where ib has eplib into two portions which are entirely separated bub junction again about lQOfoet further ahead. Doubtless", when the stopes are carried far enough along, the reof will be found to junction here also, when ib will be possible to work it in one again. From this source, and also from the stopes at the northern end, a fair claßß of general dirb is coining to hand. In order to farther open up the country in this section of the mine, and prepare for a continuous supply of ore for the mill, the manager, I believe, intends letting a contract for driving the No. 1 intermediate level from the rise a further distance of 100 feet. In addition to this work vigorous operations aro proceeding with the drive ou the came reef ab the No. 2 or low level. Low level: Ib is to the future developmepts of the main lode ab this depth thab wo masb look for important discoveries both for the Try Fluke and Kapai Companies, more especially as this is the greatosb depth at which ib has been touched. The reef was intersected by a Croßscub 653 feeb in length aba point 106 feet below tha Kapai No. 1 level. In this work of an expensive bub essential character, the Try Fluke Company stood half the cost, and the intersection was made within 13 feeb of that Company's boundary. In the Kapai section the face is now in a total distance ef over 50 feeb, and it is expected thab in another 80 feet of driving connection will be made with a winze which haß been sunk 106 feei from No. 1 level. When this work is completed, a large block of ground will be opened up ready for •toping, and -should furnish sufficient dirt to keep the mill going for a considerable time. The lode in the winze referred to runs from 4 to 14fb in thickness and in no way varies from the general characteristics pertaining to ib in other parts of the mine, while the encasing country is of a very easy description of sandstone conducive to the maintenance of gold bearing lodes. This is amply proved in the low level, now in process of extension, where goed prospects are obtainable from the quartz broken from the face. A very interesting feature of the reefs in this locality is their peculiar composition, differing so widely aa it does from thab found in other districts on the peninsula. These reefs are composed for the mosb parb of a very friable, Bugary quartz heavily charged with black oxide of manganese, which

mineral rendered a goed extraction impossible by the old battery process. They, moreover, aro generally found when at beat in a channel of highly decomposed brown sandstone, of good standing quality however and capable ot very progressive working. The system of transport of the ore from the mine to the battery which is in vogue ab the Kapai, is noticeable tor its effectiveness and the nominal coat at which ib can be maintained. The mill is situated aba distance of aboub aquarter of a mile from the mine. The dirt from the stopes is shot into passes, or shoots, which extend down to tho main level, from whence ib is easily trucked out bo a long shoot leading into a main hopper oubside tho No. 1 level. From thia hopper ib is forwarded along a main steel line a distance of thirteen chains to tho kilns—five in number, whore ib is dried prior bo being trucked along a further distance of ihroe chains to the battery hopper. For crashing purposes, ah Otis ball mill is in use, capable of treating a ton an hoar. This mill gives complete satisfaction, doing its work thoroughly and requiring little or no attention. The ore is fod into ib by means of an automatic selfloodor. and when crushed to requisite fineneß8 — a 30-me&h screen is employed—it is conveyed by means of an endless bucket belt into a high hopper situated above the eighb percolating vats, each of which will treab 25 bo 30 tonß of ore at a charge. The cyanide system of treatment has beon adoptod here, and has given, 1 believe, good resulbs aba low cost. Those results, it may bo added, are due ia no small degree to bhe Company's battery supervisor, Mr Walker, who has been indefatigable in'experimenting towards reducing the cost of extraction. An eighb percent, solution of cyanide is, I understand, used on the dry crushed ore, this having been found to answer the purpose besb. The melting, fluxing and balance rooms aro all commodious apar.ments, roplote with all apparatus, etc., necessary for bho particular work of assaying or melting the bullion, while everything in connection with the mill is in firsb class working order and condition. As showing whab the mill is capable of ib may be interesting to state that since the starting of ib in July, 1895, ft little less than 5,000 tons of ore havo been treated, which have produced upwards of 7,5000zs of bullion valued at aboub £16,000. Ib will thus bo perceived that the English Company have obtained a mine which ab present is only in its infancy and one which ab bhe same time has proved itself a gold producer, everything considered, of no moan order. Whab will be accomplished in the future remains yet to be seen, but of the outlook there can be no room for any doubt, and ib is the manager's opinion thab when bhe low level is well extended a rich run of ore will be encountered at tbe southern end eoing towarda the Jupiter boundary, indication* of the same being visible in the floor of tho upper level in thab section of the ground. lb should be remarked as showing how tho smallest details aro looked after and considered by tho management that an ingenious system of telephonic communication has been introduced, whereby ib is possible to communicate from the mine to the battery or vice versa. A few words concerning the Cassel Company and tho cyanide process might not be out of place here. It has beon tho custom of the Ca.aol Company, as of course is generally known, to exact a royalty of 10 per cent. from all companies on tho gold extracted by them through bho agency of cyanido. This musb of necessity be a heavy handicap to companies treating low grade ore, and efforts are being made, as chronicled in tne papers to disprove the legality of the patent. These etlorU, it is believed, will eventually meet with a successful issue, and to haßtoa this end «s far as New Zealand is concerned, Mr H.rnibrook, manager of the Kapai, is using his best endeavours by representing tho true position of affaire to the Minister of Mines and others interested in the question, to prevent the Cassel Company from obtaining an amendment to the patent's specifications of the cyanide process. It is certainly to be hoped that this prevention will be effected, bearing as it does in such an important manner on the future of cyanide extraction within this colony. ...... (To be Continued.)